Horizontal offline stand building system and method of its use in drilling operations

ABSTRACT

A horizontal stand building system includes a horizontal stand storage area located adjacent to and between a horizontal stand building site and a catwalk machine. A second horizontal stand storage area, along with a second horizontal stand building site, may be provided on the opposite side of the catwalk machine. The horizontal stand building site includes a tubular connection machine arranged to connect one tubular to another. The catwalk includes a pusher arranged to urge a horizontally oriented stand received from the horizontal stand storage area toward a mast end of the catwalk machine. A skate along with a stand arm guide may raise one end of the stand vertically upward toward the mast.

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

The present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses, and methods of horizontal, offline, pipe stand building including but not limited to those found in drilling operations.

The productivity of drilling operations can be increased by connecting two or more pipes or tubulars together and then connecting this “stand” of tubulars to the drill string. Stand building is often done with the tubulars oriented vertically. The tubulars may be racked horizontally and then oriented vertically by a pipe handling system for makeup (see e.g U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,941 to Walling, U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,071 to Langowski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,129 to Boyadjeff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,573 B1 to Day). Other methods build the stand with the tubulars oriented horizontally.

An example of a horizontal stand building system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,414 B2 to Simpson et al. This system uses a horizontal catwalk machine to orient the tubulars for connection and a “bucking machine” to join two tubulars end-to-end. Once two stands are built, a “trolley” transports the stands to the drill rig platform where the trolley is hoisted up and oriented vertically. The stands are then removed from the trolley and connected to the drill string or stored vertically for future use.

Another example system is found in US20070221385 A1 to Braun et al. This system makes use of a catwalk machine on which two or more horizontally oriented tubulars are aligned coaxially and connected, with the stand then being urged toward the drill rig for subsequent hoisting and vertical orientation. There is no setup for horizontal storage of the stands.

Another example system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,992,646 B2 to Wright et al. This system makes use of a catwalk machine that receives, and threads together, two or three horizontally oriented tubulars aligned coaxially in a makeup channel. The stand is then transferred laterally to a delivery channel that includes a stand lifting arm that hoists the rig end of the stand upward and orients the stand vertically. The tubulars are loaded from laterally adjacent racks left and right of the catwalk machine. As with other cited documents, there is no setup for horizontal storage of the stands.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter as set forth in the claims.

According to some embodiments, a horizontal stand building system is disclosed that includes a horizontal stand storage area located adjacent to and between a horizontal stand building site on one side of the horizontal stand storage area and a catwalk machine on another side of the horizontal stand storage area. In embodiments, the horizontal stand building site includes a tubular connection machine arranged to connect one tubular to another when both tubulars are in a horizontal orientation. In embodiments, the catwalk machine includes a pusher arranged to urge a horizontally oriented stand received from the horizontal stand storage area toward a mast end of the catwalk machine. In embodiments, a stand arm guide raises one end of the stand vertically upward toward the mast. A catwalk skate also may be used to perform the initial part of the horizontal-to-vertical movement by elevating the mast end of the skate.

In embodiments, a second (auxiliary) horizontal stand storage area may be located adjacent to and between the catwalk machine on one side of the second horizontal stand storage area and a second horizontal stand building site on another side of the horizontal stand storage area. The second horizontal stand building site may also include a tubular connection machine. In embodiments, this connection machine, like the first tubular connection machine, may include a horizontal tong or its equivalent. The catwalk may service both the main (first) horizontal stand building site and storage area and the auxiliary (second) horizontal stand building site and storage area.

In embodiments, a tubular loading area is located adjacent to each of the horizontal stand building sites. The loading areas might be arranged to receive and store tubulars in a horizontal orientation and feed a respective horizontal stand building site from one side. The stand building sites might include a first, a second, and a third section, with each section sized to accommodate a same or similar length of tubular as one another (including but not limited to range 2 drill pipe—27 to 32 feet in length—or range 3 drill pipe, 33 to 45 feet in length). A fourth section may be added to build quad stands. Alternatively, only the first and second sections may be used to build dual stands. Singles may also be handled.

According to some embodiments, a method for horizontal stand building includes:

laterally transporting a horizontally oriented stand between a horizontal stand building site to a horizontal stand storage area, the horizontal stand storage area being located adjacent to and between the horizontal stand building site and a catwalk machine, the horizontally oriented stand including at least two tubulars connected one to another;

laterally transporting a second stand from the horizontal stand storage area to the catwalk machine; and

longitudinally transporting the second stand along the catwalk machine toward a mast end of the catwalk machine.

The system and method of the disclosure enable: (1) a simple, robust, cost saving design that also lowers rig cost; (2) efficient stand building and stand breakdown during rig-up and rig-down, respectively; (3) reduce the amount of equipment and machinery used as well as the hand-offs between the machinery; (4) reduce forces on the mast; (5) provide safer handling because tubulars are horizontal and not vertical; and (6) provide easier maintenance due to machinery being located on ground level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject disclosure is further described in the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawing and schematic of non-limiting embodiment of the subject disclosure. The features depicted in the figure are not necessarily shown to scale. Certain features of the embodiments may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form, and some details of elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

FIG. 1 is an isometric schematic view of an embodiment of a horizontal offline stand building system of the disclosure in relation to a drilling rig or platform.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a horizontal offline stand building system of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a horizontal offline stand building system of the disclosure. A different size tubular may be built and stored on each side of the stand building system.

ELEMENTS AND NUMBERING USED IN THE DRAWINGS AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION

-   -   10 Horizontal stand building and storage system     -   13 Main (first) side     -   17 Auxiliary (second) side     -   20 Tubular loading area or rack     -   21 Legs     -   25 Tubulars or pipes     -   30 Stand building site     -   31 Horizontal tubular connection machine     -   33 Pusher unit     -   35 Stand     -   37 Lower end section     -   38 Middle section     -   39 Upper end section     -   40 Stand storage area or rack     -   41 Legs     -   50 Catwalk machine     -   51 Pusher unit     -   53 Stand arm guide     -   55 Skate     -   59 Mast end     -   60 Mast

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are only exemplary of the present disclosure. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example of a proposed horizontal stand building and storage system 10 of the disclosure is shown, including a main (first) side 13 and an auxiliary (second) side 17 arranged on different sides of a catwalk machine 50. Note the use of the labels “main” and “auxiliary” is for reference only, with factors such as but not limited to facility layout, available floor space, pipe size, stand size, and drilling rate determining which side of the catwalk machine each is located on and whether each will include the same areas or same-sized areas. Each side 13, 17 may build and store the same size of tubular as one another or a different size tubular than one another.

In embodiments, each side 13, 17 may include a horizontal tubular loading area or rack 20, a horizontal stand building site 30, and a horizontal stand storage area 40 arranged for material flow toward the catwalk machine 50. The catwalk machine 50 then transports a stand 35 toward a mast 60 for vertical orientation. System 10 may include a power unit such as an onboard hydraulic power unit or its equivalent.

In embodiments, the main and auxiliary side 13, 17 stand building site 30 includes a horizontal tubular connection machine 31 that provides the site 30 with a clean/dope unit and a tong (roughneck) to make and torque up, for example, double, triple, or quad stands using range 2 or 3 pipes. In other embodiments, one of the main or auxiliary side 13, 17 may not include the tubular connection machine 31. The auxiliary side 13, 17 without the connection machine 31 may serve as a secondary storage site for tubulars 25, stands 35 built by the other side 13, 17, or tubulars and stands. Alternatively, a side 13, 17 may serve as secondary storage for the other 17, 13 even though each side 13, 17 includes the connection machine 31.

The tubulars 25 may be initially presented as singles to the tubular loading area 20, by use of a forklift or its equivalent (not shown). In embodiments, the loading area 20 services a stand building site 30 and the tubulars 25 are moved laterally from the loading area 20 to the stand building site 30. In embodiments, the system 10 might be arranged so that loading area 20 is immediately next to a respective horizontal stand building site 30 which, in turn is immediately next to respective horizontal stand storage area 40. The stand storage area 40 may be immediately next to the catwalk machine 50. In this way, material handling is minimized as tubulars 25 or stands 35 flow from one area to the next.

In some embodiments, loading area 20 may be arranged as two or more legs 21 laterally extending from the catwalk 50 to provide a rack surface for the tubulars 25, stand building site 30, and stands 35. Another two or more legs 41, that may be shorter in length than legs 21, extend laterally from the catwalk 50 to provide a rack surface for the stand building site 30 and stands 35. Collectively, the legs 21, 41 provide a rack or feeding table for stands 35 to the catwalk 50.

As each tubular 25 moves onto the stand building site 30, it might be positioned by a pusher unit 33 for connection to the next positioned tubular 25. Connections are then performed by the connection machine 31 that, for example, applies the force and torque to threadably engage one tubular 25 to the next. The resulting respective stand 35 may then be moved to one of the storage areas 40.

When needed, a stand 35 is moved to the catwalk machine 50. A pusher unit 51 urges the stand 35 toward a mast end 59 of the catwalk machine 50. A stand arm guide 53 raises or hoists the stand 35 upward to present the stand to a pipe handler or top drive (not shown) in the mast 60. A catwalk skate also may be used to perform the initial part of the horizontal-to-vertical movement by elevating the mast end 59 off the skate 55. In embodiments, pusher units 33, 51 are of a kind well known in the art, as is the horizontal tubular connection machine 31, catwalk machine 50, and stand arm guide 53.

The present disclosure describes embodiments of a method of horizontal stand building using the system 10, wherein the building sequence flow may include the following on the main side 13 and on the auxiliary side 17:

-   -   Load tubulars or pipes 25 into the tubular loading area 20 using         a forklift or its equivalent;     -   Load a first pipe 25A into lower end or section 37 of the stand         building site 30;     -   Push the first pipe 25A to a middle section 38 of the stand         building site 30;     -   Load a second pipe 25B into the lower section 37 of the stand         building site 30;     -   Connect and torque the first and second pipes 25A&B using the         horizontal tubular connection machine 31;     -   Push the two connected pipes 25A&B to the middle section 38 and         upper section 39 of the stand building site 30;     -   Load a third pipe 25C into lower section 37 of the stand         building site 30;     -   Connect and torque the third pipe 25C to the two connected pipes         25 A&B, using the horizontal tubular connection machine 31;     -   Laterally move the completed triple stand 35 to the stand         storage area 40;     -   Load the triple stand 35 from the stand storage area 40 onto the         catwalk machine 50; and     -   Longitudinally move the triple stand 35 toward the mast end 59         of the catwalk machine 50 for presentation to a pipe handler or         top drive in the mast 60.         When breaking out, the above process is reversed.

Production control methodologies known in the art, such as first-in, first out, may be used to determine whether a stand 35 from the main or auxiliary side 13, 17 should be loaded onto the catwalk machine. Decisions as to which side 13, 17 to draw from may depend in part on such factors as, but not limited to, production requirements (rate out), stand building rates (rate in), available tubular and stand inventory, number of shifts, and scheduled and unscheduled downtime. In some embodiments the auxiliary side 17 may only serve as a secondary site for tubular loading, stand storage, or both tubular loading and stand storage. Tubulars 25 or stands 35 (or both) may diverted to this side 17 from the main side 13 when the main side 13 tubular or storage areas 20, 40 are at or near capacity. In cases in which the main or auxiliary side 13, 17 stand storage area 40 is empty or has fallen below a safety stock level—or in cases in which the tubular connection machine 31 on one or both sides 13, 17 is down for repair or maintenance—stands 35 from the other side 17, 13 stand storage area 40 may be drawn from.

In embodiments, double- and quadruple stands (or any number of tubulars as needed) 35 may also be built using this process. In embodiments, one side 13, 17 could build one size stand with the other side 17, 13 building another size stand. Additionally, one or both of the sides 13, 17 of the catwalk 50 may be operated depending on operational configurations. Singles may also be handled by system 10, for example, during emergency operation.

While the disclosure may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following appended claims.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for” or “step for” performing a function, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). 

1. A horizontal stand building system comprising: a horizontal stand storage area having a first side and a second side, said first side located adjacent to a catwalk machine on one side of the catwalk machine; a horizontal stand building site located adjacent to said second side of the horizontal stand storage area and including a tubular connection machine arranged to connect one tubular to another when each tubular is in a horizontal orientation so to provide a horizontally oriented stand; the catwalk machine including a pusher arranged to urge the horizontally oriented stand received from the horizontal stand storage area toward a mast end of the catwalk machine.
 2. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 1 further comprising: a second horizontal stand storage area having a first side and a second said, said first side of said second horizontal stand storage area located adjacent to the catwalk machine on another side of the catwalk machine.
 3. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 2 further comprising a second horizontal stand building site located adjacent to said second side of the second horizontal stand storage area, and including a second tubular connection machine arranged to connect one tubular to another when each tubular is in a horizontal orientation.
 4. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal stand building site comprises a first, a second, and a third section, each section being sized to accommodate a same length of tubular as one another.
 5. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 1 further comprising a first tubular loading area located adjacent to the horizontal stand building site, the first tubular loading area arranged to receive and store tubulars when in a horizontal orientation.
 6. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 3 further comprising a second tubular loading area located adjacent to the horizontal stand building site, the second tubular loading area arranged to receive and store tubulars when in a horizontal orientation.
 7. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 3 wherein the second horizontal stand building site comprises a first, a second, and a third section, each section being sized to accommodate a same length of tubular as one another.
 8. A method for horizontal stand building, the method comprising: building a stand at a horizontal stand building site; laterally transporting said stand from the horizontal stand building site to a horizontal stand storage area, the horizontal stand storage area being located adjacent to and between the horizontal stand building site and a side of a catwalk machine; laterally transporting the stand from the horizontal stand storage area to the catwalk machine; and longitudinally transporting the horizontally oriented stand along the catwalk machine toward a mast end of the catwalk machine.
 9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising laterally transporting a horizontally oriented tubular to the horizontal stand building site from a horizontal tubular loading area located adjacent to the horizontal stand building site.
 10. A method according to claim 8 further comprising laterally transporting a second horizontally oriented stand from a second horizontal stand storage area to the catwalk machine, the second horizontal stand storage area being located adjacent to another side of the catwalk machine.
 11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising laterally transporting the second horizontally oriented stand from a second horizontal stand building site to the second horizontal stand storage area, the second horizontal stand building site being located adjacent to the second horizontal stand storage area.
 12. A method according to claim 11 further comprising laterally transporting a horizontally oriented tubular to the second horizontal stand building site from a second horizontal tubular loading area located adjacent to the second horizontal stand building site.
 13. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 5 wherein: said first tubular loading area is adjacent to said second side of said horizontal stand storage area.
 14. A horizontal stand building system according to claim 6 wherein: said second tubular loading area is adjacent to said second side of said second horizontal stand storage area. 